COUNTRY RECTOR FELL INTO TRAP.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18008, 19 November 1926, Page 9

COUNTRY RECTOR FELL INTO TRAP.

BAIT WAS A BOGUS CHEQUE FOR £IOOO. (Special to the “Star.”) LONDON, September 18. A curious hoax has been played on the Rev C. 11. Atkins, rector of Great Casterton, Rutland. A well-dressed stranger called upon him and said he had seen in a London newspaper the rector’s appeal for funds for the restoration of the church. Fie expressed his interest in the scheme, and after being shown over the building he handed to the rector a cheque for £IOOO. stating that it was the donation of his mother, who was keenly interested in such buildings. Mr * Atkins invited the stranger to remain for lunch, and ✓during the meal mentioned that there was an amount of £25 10s owing to the architect for the restoration scheme. The starnger produced a cheque-book and wrote a cheque for that amount. After lunch he and the rector went to Stamford and interviewed the architect. On the way back to Great Casterton, the visitor informed the rector that while in a taxi-cab at St Pancras he had lost a banknote for £lO, and being short of cash was in temporary difficulties, as he had to fulfil an appointment to dine with a friend immediately on his return to London that evening. The rector was not able to cash a cheque for £lO, as requested, but he parted with £5 10s. Some time later Mr Atkins became suspicions, and investigation showed that the £IOOO cheque was from a cheque-book which had been stolen.

Yesterday a man named Henry Scott, of Adelaide Road, Teddington, was remanded by the Oakham magistratet on a charge of obtaining £5 10s from Mr Atkins by means of a worthless cheque.